USCIS Announces List of Countries Eligible for Participation in H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs. Jan 16, 2011: USCIS announced last week that the Departments of Homeland Security and State have identified a total of 53 countries whose citizens may be eligible to participate in the United States’ H-2A and H-2B visa entry programs. The H-2A… Read more »
USCIS Announces Transformation to Web-based Environment. Dec 27, 2010: Earlier this month, USCIS announced that it is undertaking an agency-wide effort to shift their immigration services from a paper-based system to an electronic system. This effort, known as USCIS Transformation, will utilize a simplified, web-based system for applicants to submit and track their applications online…. Read more »
House Passes DREAM Act; Uphill Battle in Senate. Dec 09, 2010: The U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the DREAM Act on Wednesday night, sending the immigration reform bill to the Senate. The DREAM Act would provide a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who entered the United States when… Read more »
U.S. Ambassador Announces Reorganization of Consulates General in India. Nov 23, 2010: The U.S. is implementing a new visa application process for Indians that will make obtaining visas more convenient, says the U.S. ambassador to India. New Immigration Fees and Forms Take Effect November 23. Nov 20, 2010: USCIS has reminded the public that new… Read more »
INTRODUCTION: This briefing will cover a range of issues and problems that nonimmigrant employees in the H-1B, L-1, and B-1 categories may encounter at Ports-of-Entry to the United States. In previous decades, most business travelers found the process of clearing U.S. Immigration was quick, easy and non-intrusive. Few persons working for legitimate businesses encountered serious… Read more »
IV. WHAT CAN A NONIMMIGRANT DO IF THE CPB OFFICER INDICTATES AN INTENTION TO DENY ENTRY? The CBP unit at Newark Airport has confirmed that it began “random checks” for returning H-1B, L-1, and other business visa holders. If selected for such an audit, the person will be taken into a back office where one… Read more »
E-Verify Enhances Security; Now Checks Passports and Passport Cards. Nov 10, 2010: The E-Verify program’s security system has just been enhanced, says USCIS and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) representatives. The new enhancements include enabling E-Verify to automatically check the validity and authenticity of all US passports and passport cards used as employment verification documents…. Read more »
Avoiding the New $2,000 Surcharge May Raise Compliance Risks for Larger Petitioners that Now Restructure into Several Smaller Units Each with Less than 50 Nonimmigrant Employees Introduction: Outsourcing Business Model Targeted by Congress for Fee Increase Chairman Schumer’s H-1B Anti-Outsourcing “Intent of Congress” Speech A. ENFORCEMENT: A Variety of Legal Standards Might be Applied to… Read more »
Earlier this week, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and John Morton, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), released immigration enforcement statistics that have been achieved under the Obama administration. In their report, the two directors state that the Obama administration has imposed approximately $50 million in fines/sanctions for… Read more »
According to reports from attorneys serving clients in New York, the Buffalo office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is advising that effective August 21, 2017, attorneys cannot accompany clients in the secondary inspection area of any ports of entry, and that this is a national policy. The announcement is at https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/cbp-deploys-biometric-exit-technology-las-vegas-mccarran-international. The content of… Read more »
Our team is eager to help your organization navigate the complexities of immigration law & relieve any visa processing frustrations that you are experiencing.
